By BOBBY HORN JR.
EAST HARRIS COUNTY Confirmed cases of West Nile Virus, which first hit the West Side of Harris County have shown a migration toward the east side of the county.
Last week, the Harris County Health Department announced that the number of confirmed cases of WNV in birds had increased to seven, including one case in Humble.
Dead birds have tested positive in west, northwest, central and north east areas of the county. These birds include three Blue Jays, an American Crow, a Mourning Dove, a Great-Tailed Grackle and a Carolina Chickadee.
The Mosquito Control Virology Laboratory has confirmed one mosquito pool that has tested positive for WNV. The Culex mosquitoes were collected from a trapping site near Coral Reef Street. Another six more pools throughout the county are suspected of having the WNV as well.
Additionally, the county suspects three pools of having the St. Louis Encephalitis virus.
Harris County residents are urged to take actions to eliminate breeding sites including containers that could hold standing water. Residents are also advised to limit their outdoor exposure during dawn and dusk hours, when mosquitoes are most active, or to wear long sleeves shirts and pants and use insect repellant when outdoors.